Cushion drive starter attachment



A. JOHNSON CUSHION DRIVE STARTER ATTACHMENT Feb. 9, 1937.

Filed Sept. '7, i955 lil ll nd E F Jr xv Alex Johnsun Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,070,271 cusmon muvr: STARTER ATTACHMENT Alex' Johnson, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor of onehalf to William H. Schmidt, Wauwatosa, Wis.

Application September 7,1935, Serial No. 39,555

. Claims.

This invention appertains to starting attachments for internal combustion engines 'of the Bendix type, and has for one of its primary obiects the provision of means whereby breakage of 5 the starting shaft and associated parts is materially reduced or entirely eliminated.

One of the main objections to the Bendix starter is the fact that the cushioning springs and the starter shaft are subject to breakage due to the great stress placed thereon at the time of the starting of the engine. 7

It. is, therefore, a salient object of my inven tion to provide novel means for reinforcing the starter shaft and for distributing the thrust l5 placed thereon, whereby the possibility of the breaking of the shaft is reducedto a minimum.

Another important object of. my invention is the provision of novel cushion blocks disposed between the startershaft and the screw pinion 20 shaft, whereby to entirely eliminate the use of the usual starter spring and at the same. time effectively absorb and cushion the shock between the screw pinion and the starting shaft.

A stillfurther object of my invention is to pro 5 vide an improved engine starter of the above character which will be durable and efficient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and one which can be placed upon the market and incorporated with an automobile at 30 a low cost.

' With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation ofparts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed,

35 and illustrated in .the accompanying drawing,

in which drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of my improved starter attachment, with parts thereof broken away' and in section to illustrate 40 structural details.

Figure 2.is a transverse section through my improved device, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1' looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a similar section, taken on the line 45 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the

60 letter S generally indicates my improved starting attachment for internal combustion engines, which includes the usual starting shaft 5.

This shaft 5 is driven from the starter motor 6 in any preferred manner. In accordance with 66 my invention, I mount upon the starter shaft the rear end of the screw shaft is piloted into the hollow shaft 1 and that the same is provided with an eccentric collar l0 forwardly of the hollow shaft.

Novel means is provided for connecting the starting shaft and the screw shaft together, and

this means includes a coupling member II. The coupling member ll includes an inner ring l2 and an outer ring I3. The ring I3 is materially longer than the ring l2, and the rings are rigidly connected by a longitudinally extending connecting key rib H.

The hollow shaft 1 is connected withthe starting shaft 5 by means of a longitudinally extending key l5, and this key l5 has formed thereon a longitudinally extending body plate. IS. The plate extends radially beyond the hollow shaft and is diametrically disposed relative to. the connecting key rib ll.

Confined between the rings l2 and I3 and interposed between the key rib l4, and the body plate iii are substantially semicylindrical cushioning blocks l1 and i8. These blocks are preferably formed from live rubber and can be provided at spaced points with openings l9 which tend to increase the resiliency of said blocks.

The cushioning blocks and the coupling member II can be surrounded by a casing sleeve 20, which serves as means for protecting my starting device. l I

By referring to the Figures 1 and 3, it will be noted that the eccentric collar I3 is fitted within the inner face of the forward ring l3, and this collar, the coupling device II, and the easing sleeve 20 can be united by means of an adjusting screw 2|.

In use of my improved device, when the.starting motor 6 is set into operation and the pinion 9 is driven forwardly into meshing engagement with the teeth of the engine fly-wheel (not shown), the shock will be effectively cushioned and taken up by the blocks l1 and I8, and the V thrust will be uniformly distributed to the starting shaft 5.

when the coupling member ll starts to rotate 66 due to its connection with the collar IS, the blocks H and i 8 interpose between the key rib l4 and the body plate l6 and the same will tend to resume their normal positions as soon as the thrust is released. By using the eccentric l0, thrust is materially reduced on the connecting screw 2|.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In an engine starting device, a starting shaft, a screw shaft having a pinion thereon, a coupling member on the starting shaft connected with the screw shaft including a pair of spaced rings disposed adjacent to the opposite ends of the starting shaft and a connecting key rib extending longitudinally of the starting shaft and free therefrom, a radial member carried by the starting shaft, and cushioning means between the coupling member and the radial member.

2. In an engine starting device, a starting shaft, a screw shaft, a coupling member on and free from the starting shaft connected with the screw shaft including a pair of spaced rings disposed adjacent to the opposite ends of the starting shaft and a connecting key rib, a radial member carried by the starting shaft and cushioning blocks confined between said rings and interposed between the key rib and the radial member.

3. In an engine starting device, a starting shaft,

a hollow shaft surrounding the starting shaft, a screw shaft rotatably mounted on the starting shaft and piloted into said hollow shaft, a coupling member including a pair of spaced rings rotatably fitted on the hollow shaft and on the screw shaft, and a connecting key rib, means connecting the coupling member and the screw shaft together, a key having a longitudinally extending body coupling the hollow and starter shafts together, said body extending longitudi nally of the hollow shaft and disposed substantialiy diametrically opposite the connecting key rib, and resilient cushioning blocks surrounding the hollow shaft and disposed between the body and the connecting key rib.

4. In an engine starting device, a starting shaft, a hollow shaft surrounding the starting shaft, a screw shaft rotatably mounted on the starting shaft and piloted in said hollow shaft, a coupling member including a pair of spaced rings, and a connecting key rib, one of said rings being mounted on the hollow shaft and the other on the screw shaft, said screw shaft having an eccentric portion fitted in the last mentioned ring, a key connecting the hollow and the starting shafts together, said key having a longitudinally extending body extending radially of the hollow shaft, and semicircular resilient cushioning blocks disposed about the hollow shaft and confined between said rings and disposed between the key rib and said body.

5. In an engine starting device, a starting shaft, a hollow shaft surrounding the starting shaft, a screw shaft rotatably mounted on the starting shaft and piloted in said hollow shaft, a coupling member including a pair of spaced rings, and a connecting key rib, one of said rings being mounted on the hollow shaft and the other on the screw shaft, said screw shaft having an eccentric portion fitted in the last mentioned ring, a key connecting the hollow and the starting shafts together, said key having a longitudinally extending body extending radially of the hollow shaft, semicircular resilient cushioning blocks disposed about the hollow shaft and confined between said rings and disposed between the key rib and said body, a casing surrounding the body,

coupling member, and cushioning blocks, and a pin connecting the casing, coupling member and screw shaft together.

ALEX JOHNSON. 

